Out on the Line
by Weskette
Summary: She was in the backyard, they say it was a little past nine when her prince pulled up - a white pickup truck.


**This is based off of Suds in the Bucket by Sara Evans. And it's my seventieth story!**

* * *

**Out on the Line**

Andrea stretched up and clipped the shirt to the clothes line. The dryer had broken and her father had strung up a line at her mother's request. As usual, she had to help with the laundry, and for that day, it consisted of putting the clothes out on the line.

Andrea was eighteen and without money for college. Her parents didn't like her boyfriend and her sister wasn't old enough to be a best friend sort(she was only six after all). She felt trapped in the small town she lived in. The blonde had gotten into the college she wanted. Stanford University, the second best law school in America. And it was expensive. No money meant no school meant no being lawyer.

She sighed. That was not a good thought to follow. Her attention, thankfully, was caught by a white pickup truck pulling into the driveway. "Hey, doll!" her boyfriend called from the window. She smiled, dropping the sopping wet shirt she had been holding.

She ran to the vehicle and kissed him through the window. "Hey, Daryl. What brings you here?"

"A pretty girl lives here. Wanted t' ask her something." He seemed nervous, fidgeting in his seat. He didn't turn the truck off, but sat with it humming quietly in park.

She leaned against the door, smiling. "What's that? Do you want to come inside?"

He shook his head. "No... I don't think your dad or mama's gonna like this." The nineteen year old dug a hand in his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. She was suddenly nervous too. Her eyes passed in between his and the box. "I know we only been together for a year or two and... I love ya', girl." He looked down at the box and opened it, holding it up to her. "I got you this. It's a promise ring and a engagement ring, I guess. I wanted t' get you a bigger one, but I didn't have enough..." He looked up at her. "Well?"

Her jaw dropped. "Y, yes! Oh God, yes! I... Oh, wow! I love you too!" Their lips met again and the corner of his mouth twitched up.

"Wanted t' ask somethin' else too..."

She tilted her head to the side, smile on her face and happy tears in the corners of her eyes. "What?"

"I got a job up near your college... I got some money too..." He squeezed her hand, mumbling under his breath. "I know you wanna go there real bad. I wanna work so you can... I was hoping..." He paused, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. "I ain't fuckin' good at this." He met her eyes. "I was hopin' you'd go with me. Got a friend up there who'll rent us an apartment cheap." She bit her lip, suddenly overwhelmed with opportunity. "I kinda took my jackass of a brother's drug money. I got m' stuff too... Wanna go with me?"

She leaned in again and kissed him. "Let me go get my stuff." She ran back inside, throwing as much as she could into a few totes. Her clothes went into her suitcase and she ran out to put it in the back of the truck. Before departing, she left stuck a note to the screen door.

* * *

"What was she thinking?" Andrea's mother sat crying at the kitchen table. In her hand was the note the teenage blonde had left.

Mom and Dad, Sorry, but I've got to go.

That was all she wrote. Her mother burst into fresh tears, setting the note down on the table. Andrea's father frowned. He was sitting by the window, staring out at the dry clothes that Andrea had hung. He had no idea why his daughter would leave. She was a level headed, grounded young woman. Why on earth would she leave with that dirty hick of a man? She had said something about loving him more than once. But leaving with him? "How'd our little girl turn into a woman so fast?" he whispered.

* * *

Andrea put one foot on the dash board, the other partially out the window to rest on the side view mirror. "You don't gotta go if you don't want," he spoke quietly.

"I want to though. I'm happy," she smiled. "I love you." She reached over and poked his side. "You're making a crap load of things I've wanted to happen come true."

She unbuckled and moved into the center seat, leaning against him. He put his arm around her. She was comfortable there.

Her mind strayed to her family. She'd call them later, once she could. The small town they had left, though, must've been in an uproar. Usually a quiet place, to have two teenagers run out so they could be together was an equivalent of a hurricane. Something huge that made drastic changes to everyday life. She was sure there would be gossip for a long time to come, not to mention rumours based on false accounts. She laughed quietly to herself with a new thought.

"What's funny?" he asked.

"Imagine a few years from now when they come to visit. I'm sure my dad'll be pissed. Exspecially if you get me pregnant." She giggled, leaning against him.

"I'm gonna make an honest woman outta ya' though. Maybe he won't murder me too bad," he replied.

She kissed his cheek. "I won't let him."


End file.
